Director of Safety & Facilities — Housing

Specialty Consultants Inc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Specialty Consultants Inc. in Chicago is seeking a Director of Safety & Facilities to lead security operations across 22 housing locations for a prominent nonprofit housing provider.

Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer, the role owns life-safety compliance, emergency planning, and budget oversight to keep residents and staff safe while maintaining welcoming environments. You will manage security providers, building access, vendor relations, and regulatory compliance, while developing

Qualifications

• Eight to ten years of experience in security operations or life-safety compliance.
• Bachelor's degree in Security Management or equivalent experience.
• Strong knowledge of emergency planning, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and coordinate third-party security providers across 22 housing locations.
• Manage building access systems, security equipment maintenance, and vendor relationships.
• Oversee resident security compliance per lease agreements, and resolve security complaints and access issues.
• Own life-safety systems — lighting, signage, accessibility, fire prevention, and emergency equipment.
• Develop and communicate emergency plans and evacuation procedures, and run life-safety training and drills.
• Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations through regular safety audits and corrective action.
• Respond to emergency calls and incidents while upholding confidentiality and company policies.
• Monitor and control security budgets, review and approve invoices, and flag discrepancies to finance.
• Assess how program or resident changes affect safety, and implement strategies that continually optimize building security.

Skills

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Strategic thinking

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Security Management

Job description

SCI, the Leader in Real Estate Executive Search®, has been retained by one of the Chicago area's largest non-profit, community-focused owners and operators of high-quality affordable seniors housing to recruit a Director of Safety & Facilities.

Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer, this role owns security operations and life‑safety compliance across our client's 22 housing locations — keeping tenants, staff, and visitors safe while preserving the welcoming environment residents count on. Our client is committed to giving residents best‑in‑class communities to call home, so the ideal candidate pairs deep security and risk‑management expertise with genuine care, recognizing that safety is the foundation everything else is built on.

What you’ll do

• Supervise and coordinate third‑party security providers across all 22 housing locations
• Manage building access systems, security equipment maintenance, and vendor relationships
• Oversee resident security compliance per lease agreements, and resolve security complaints and access issues
• Own life‑safety systems — lighting, signage, accessibility, fire prevention, and emergency equipment
• Develop and communicate emergency plans and evacuation procedures, and run life‑safety training and drills
• Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations through regular safety audits and corrective action
• Respond to emergency calls and incidents while upholding confidentiality and company policies
• Monitor and control security budgets, review and approve invoices, and flag discrepancies to finance
• Assess how program or resident changes affect safety, and implement strategies that continually optimize building security

What you bring

• 8–10 years of experience in security operations or life‑safety compliance
• Bachelor's degree in Security Management, Safety Management, Facilities Management, or equivalent experience
• Strong knowledge of emergency planning, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance
• Excellent communication and problem‑solving skills
• A strategic thinker with a track record of operational excellence in safety and risk management